Hold That Thought
by yeskateison9999
Summary: Riley has lived in LA her entire life. After graduating from college, she leaves a job of a lifetime and moves to Charleston, SC despite her parents' wishes. Rob is tired of Hollywood and extends a vacation in SC. What happens when their paths cross?
1. Chapter 1

"Close your eyes and picture this…"

I smiled shyly to myself, put down the magazine I was reading on the granite kitchen countertop, and switched over to the cordless phone.

"Lying in bed in the candlelight…"

I remained silent as I ambled barefoot across the wood floor, the phone still attached to my ear.

"We start to kiss…"

I slid onto the couch, closed my eyes, and listened to the words that slipped from his mouth.

"Pulling your body in close to mine…"

I shifted, caressing my foot along the length of my leg.

"Now picture us," he paused, his voice heavy. "The moment before we make love."

A moan escaped my lips as my free hand slid further down by body.

"Now hold that thought," he whispered huskily.

My fingers caressed my clitoris in a circular motion.

"Let your mind keep running wild until I get there."

My breathing quickened and my muscles in my body tightened as I felt the climax building. A tingling sensation took over as the contractions intensified.

"Are you there yet?" he exhaled, seemingly out of breath as well.

The doorbell rang and I practically fell off the couch, peeking through the hole before I answered it. I tilted my head to the side, holding the phone firmly between my shoulder and my ear. Once I signed for the delivery, I brought the Faire Frou Frou box back to the couch.

"I wish I was already home 'cos I've been thinking about tonight all day long."

Neatly placed in the box was a ruby red silk and fuchsia lace chemise and matching thong. I.com/catalog/images/fleur%20crush% I held it up to my body, eyeing my reflection in the mirror.

"Fleur of England. Rob, since when do you have such good taste in lingerie?"

"Ever since I stole that black bra of yours. I checked the tag and scoured the web for hours looking for something nice for you," he explained pathetically.

"Or something nice for you?" I laughed. "Hurry up and get home, baby."

His voice returned to the sultry one before. "Why don't you lay back and fantasize about me and you and everything we're going to do. I'll be home before you can finish cleaning all the dishes I know you left out while I was gone," he teased.

I set the phone down on the side table and put it on speakerphone so I could manage to get out of my nude camisole and silk robe. "Well it's a good thing you sent me this," I said as I slipped the dress over my head. "It's perfect for housework."

"That's my sexy domestic queen. I love you, Ry. See you tonight."


	2. Chapter 2

Our life was a consistent pattern of 'hellos' and 'see you soons.' We never said 'goodbye' because in a few months time he would be back. The amount of time he was able to stay home fluctuated from anywhere between twelve hours to three weeks. Nowadays it seemed like every time was a lot closer to twelve hours.

It was hard, but we both knew what we were getting into when we started this whole thing two and a half years ago. To us, it was worth it to tough it out through the times we were apart because the times we were together were too good to ever give up.

It was 2008 and I had just graduated from Pepperdine University in Southern California. After spending a summer working (for no pay, I might add) for MTV in Los Angeles I decided that I wanted out. I wanted out of thecrowded, smoggy, crime-ridden city. I wanted to go somewhere where no one knew me at all. I spent my whole life in California, never traveling more than 40 miles of my home in Los Angeles. The thrill of exploring a new place far away from there was irresistible, but seemed almost impossible.

My parents urged me not to go. 'I was in the moment and needed to think things over.' But that was the point, I wanted to be spontaneous, do something on a whim, do something out of the ordinary.

'You are not being realistic. You have a job here you always dreamed of having. Where are you going to live? Who are you going to live with? What happens when it turns out you don't even like it in Charleston?'

All these questions were thrown out at me like missiles, but somehow I managed to dodge them all.

The job at MTV will always be there, it wasn't going away. My youth, on the other hand, was quickly coming to an end. I had been accepted into the International MBA program at the University of South Carolina where I would be housed in the off-campus apartments.

I didn't want to ask myself, what if? What if I had gone to Charleston? How would my life be different?

And sitting here now in my white wooden house complete with a wrap-around porch and a view of Folly Beach, I am so thankful I had made my decision to go.

Rob had entered my life during the first month I was in Charleston. I worked night shifts at Water's Edge Inn at Folly Beach to pay for my apartment, books, groceries, and utilities.

It was a few minutes before we closed when Rob walked through the front door of the inn, disrupting the complete silence of the lobby with the chiming of bells that hung from above the door.

"Shit," he muttered, peering behind him at what was the cause of the racket he was making.

I glanced up from my book on international marketing and squinted at the familiar man walking towards me. I laugh now, thinking of how stupid I must have appeared when he first saw me. My eyes probably quadrupled in size and I'm pretty sure my jaw practically hit the desk below me.

"Sorry about that," he apologized, glimpsing back at the bells.

I was completely tongue-tied. Mind you, this happened to me a lot. Whenever I am put on the spot, it's like my mind momentarily shuts down.

"Um," he murmured, filling the silence. "I'd like a room." He searched through his ragged book bag and pulled out his wallet, setting his credit card on the counter. And when I didn't answer, he continued. "…for one."

"Sure," I mumbled, grabbing his credit card off the counter, subsequently dropping it onto the floor. I leant over to pick it up, pleading to myself that my pants did not expose my butt crack as I did so. Well, that thought freaked me out so I shot up quickly from the ground, hitting my head against the open drawer. "Fuck," I cursed, reaching back to massage the back of my head. When my eyes met his, I realized what I had just said. "Shit, I mean," I stuttered. "I'm sorry. It's been a long night."

He crossed his arms over the counter and smiled, amused at the situation. "I can tell," he chuckled. "International marketing, huh? Sounds incredibly tedious."

I was about to defend myself, but I decided I had made a big enough fool out of myself already. I simply ignored his comment and checked the availability on the outdated PC in front of me. The inn did well in the summer, but in the off-season it struggled to make ends meet, hence the slower-than-slow computer.

"We have a private room, secluded with its own entrance just steps away from the hot tub," I recommended.

His smile grew. "What gives you the idea I need a private room with a hot tub?" he inquired, intrigued.

"I-uh," I began, trying to think of the best explanation, preferably something witty. But I should have given up being clever once I hit my head against the wood desk. "We recommend that room to all of our guests, sir."

"Sir? What am I 50?" he laughed. "I'll take the private room with the hot tub," he winked.

"How many days will you be staying with us?" I asked, trying to sound professional.

"Undecided," he answered simply. "Put me down for two days. I'll let you know if that changes."

As I typed in the information on his card, I tried to apologize for being so flustered. "Sorry," I said. "I'm usually not like this, I swear. I mean, I can hold conversations most of the time with customers—"

"Maybe something happened when you hit your head," he teased. "You could have lost a few brain cells or something."

"Are you calling me dumb?" I asked, offended, even though I knew he was kidding. I reached back and rubbed the area I hit, squinting at the pain.

He took the credit card back from my hand and placed it back into his wallet. "You know what might help with that?" he asked and I shot him a questioning look. "A dip in the hot tub," he grinned.

I immediately returned my glance to the computer screen as my cheeks burned into a blush.

I scooped his receipt from the printer and handed it to him along with the key to his room.

"Thanks," he said. "Is the bar open by any chance?"

I nodded.

"It doesn't look open," he laughed, pointing to the empty bar. "No one is working over there."

I stepped from around the counter and walked briskly across the room to behind the bar top. "What can I get for you?"

He swung his duffle bag over his shoulder and met me at the bar. "Woah. You're the concierge [i]and[/i] the bartender. Let me guess, you'll be serving me tomorrow at breakfast too."

"No," I giggled. "I only work night shifts because I have school during the day. And I work both the front desk and the bar when it's dead like this."

"I see," he nodded as he took a seat in the stool directly in front of me. "I'll take a Heineken."

I pulled a beer out of the mini fridge and handed it to him. He passed me a ten-dollar bill in return.

"First beer is on the house," I told him. "Company policy."

He grinned and took a sip from the bottle. "I knew I was going to like this place the moment I walked in."

Again, I blushed.

"I'm going to guess you can't drink on the job, huh?" he questioned.

I shook my head 'no.' "Nope, unfortunately that's [i]against[/i] company policy."

He laughed and took another swig. "That's a shame because I hate drinking alone."

Not knowing what to say, I changed the subject and asked what he was doing in Charleston.

"Promoting a movie," he explained shyly. "I have press all day tomorrow and meet and greets at the Town Center mall the day after."

"Sounds like you've got a packed schedule," I commented as I leaned against the bar top, trying to find a comfortable position.

He nodded, agreeing. "Which is a shame because I'd really like to have some down time, you know? Maybe go to the beach or see the town."

"Well maybe you'll have to stay longer than two days so you can," I told him, feeling more at ease.

"Maybe."

"What are you in school for?" he asked after a not-s0-awkward break in our chat.

"I'm going for my MBA in international business," I replied. "I only started a month ago and I'm already thinking I was setting my goal too high."

"Nah," he puffed. "I'm sure you can do it. It's only been a month; you'll get the hang of it. I'm sure of it."

"I hope so," I said, realizing there was an elderly couple waiting by the front desk. "Shit, one sec," I told him and scurried across the room back to the entrance.

As I helped them choose the perfect room for their 50th anniversary, I constantly found myself glancing over to the bar. Rob slouched over the counter and took long drinks of his beer until he was finished. My feet tapped the linoleum impatiently as the couple contemplated between the Hemmingway and Miss Rhodes rooms.

After about fifteen minutes, I handed them their keys to their room, locked the front doors, put up the 'Closed' sign, and made my way back over to the bar, half expecting him to be gone.

"You're still here," I noted as I strode towards him.

He hopped off his seat and dumped his bottle in the wastebasket behind the bar. "Well, I needed you to show me to my room." He grabbed his bags off the floor. "Shall we?"

I led him through to the back door to the lodging in the back of the inn. "Key?" I asked and he placed it in my hand. I pushed the door open for him and turned on the light. "Well, here you are."

"Where's the hot tub?"

I laughed, but he looked completely serious. "Out that back sliding glass door," I pointed behind him.

"Good to know," he smirked.

I stepped back outside. "Well, I'll see you around. Enjoy your stay."

As I started walking away, he called out to me. "Wait! What's your name?"

"Riley."

He smiled. "All right, Riley. Will I be seeing you tomorrow night?"

"I'm not working tomorrow night."

"My question remains. Will I be seeing you tomorrow night?"

I couldn't help but smile. "I have to study tomorrow night. I have a midterm the next day." It pained me to say, but it was the truth.

"So what about the night after that?"

"I'll be working, but you will be checked out by then," I told him.

He shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not."


	3. Chapter 3

As you can expect, I couldn't think straight on my midterm that day. Nor was I able to concentrate on studying the night before. I tried not to think about him or his implication that I would probably be seeing him again tonight, but it was seemingly impossible.

The last thing I needed was to get my hopes up, but that was certainly the direction I was headed in. So he stays another night, maybe even two extra nights, he was still going to leave at some point – sometime soon.

And who was I to think that he didn't act that way around [i]every[/i] girl he met on his business trips? Of course he did. It was probably a means of entertaining himself – better than sitting in his hotel room alone.

I continued to talk myself out of it until I saw him again that night.

"Boo," he said, sneaking up from behind me.

The glass cup I was drying off flew into the air and crashed onto the floor of the bar. "Jesus!" I shrieked.

I turned around to see Rob, glass in hand. Thank god for the rubber mats covering the ground. "Sorry," he chuckled, placing the glass on the counter. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Yeah," I exhaled. "Well, you did." I shoved my bangs behind my ear, a nervous habit of mine.

"Turns out I'm staying throughout the weekend," he stated. "I called my agent and moved back everything in my schedule until after the weekend."

I nodded, unsure of what to say. "That's great."

"How's your head feeling today?" he smirked.

I smiled. "It's fine. Thanks for asking."

"That's too bad. Now we don't have an excuse to use the jacuzzi," he replied glumly.

"It's a beautiful night. I think that's a good enough reason to use it," I said, surprised by my forwardness.

He nodded, pleased. "So I'll see you there at midnight."

"I'll see you then."

I arrived back at the inn with five minutes to spare. Sitting in my apartment was torture, as I constantly checked the time on the clock. Not even Chelsea Lately could make the time go by faster.

Eventually, I decided to take a quick shower, not because I smelled, but because I wanted to make sure every last part of my body was shaven until silky smooth. You know, just in case.

I didn't even bother blow-drying my hair, that would be pointless. My attire consisted of a white bandeau bikini (.com/beach-swim/ruffle-and-lace-bandeau-bikini/), an oversized grey sweatshirt, black leggings, and a pair of Ugg boots. I silently thanked myself for it not being that time of the month (white bathing suit would be way worse than white pants) and headed out the door.

I took my time walking through the marshland towards Rob's room. When I reached the deck, I kicked off my boots and stripped down to my suit. I checked my phone one last time before entering the spa. It was two minutes after twelve.

I ducked my head under the steaming water, noticing Rob walking towards the deck when I reached the surface and opened my eyes. Trying to find a relaxed position, I leaned my back against the wall of the jacuzzi and spread my arms in either direction.

"Sorry," he immediately apologized for being late. "I had to wait for the wine being delivered to my room," he explained, holding up two glasses and a bottle. "I hope you like white wine."

"Love it," I replied.

He unzipped his black sweatshirt and tossed it over my pile of clothes. "These your boots?" he questioned, eyeing my Uggs.

"Yeah, why?"

"I despise those things. They look horrible," he laughed, climbing into the water next to me.

I moved my arms back down as I admired his toned body entering the spa. "You can't hate them until you've put a pair on," I told him. "Despite their ugliness, I guarantee no pair of shoes has ever kept your feet so cozy and warm."

"I don't think those shoes are meant for men, but as long as you don't wear them out in public I suppose they are all right," he commented as he poured us each a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. "Cheers."

"Cheers," I mimicked.

After a few moments of silence, Rob spoke up. "Where are you from?"

"What makes you think I'm not from here?" I asked.

He shrugged. "You don't have that southern drawl," he said in his best southern accent.

"You caught me," my smile mirrored his. "I'm from California. LA to be exact."

"Wow," he processed the information I just gave him.

"You look surprised," I noted, taking another sip from my glass.

"I am," he said, pouring us each another glass to finish off the bottle. "That's one of the last places I would have guessed."

"Well, I grew up there my entire life. I moved here only a month ago to go to school."

"You must be in culture shock. Charleston and LA are completely different. Here, it's quiet and beautiful, so refreshing. It's like Hollywood doesn't even exist out here." He lowered himself down so his head rested against the back of the jacuzzi.

"Exactly," I replied. "I remember when all I wanted was to have this glamorous job like those ones they show on TV, but when I'm here I wonder why I ever wanted that at all."

He simply nodded, but it was enough to recognize that he agreed with me.

"You know what my favorite part of this place is?"

"What?" he asked, genuinely interested.

"This…" I pushed my hands against the surface of the water, causing a splash that hit Rob directly in the face.

His hands wiped the excess water from his face. "What the hell was that for?" he snorted.

I shrugged, squealing a bit of satisfaction. That is, until a wave of hot water hit [i]me[/i] in the face.

"Ugh!" I laughed. "It's on."

The splashing only lasted a few minutes until he dunked me under the water. He wrapped one arm around me and his other pushed down the top of my head until I was submerged underwater. When I reached the surface once again, I gasped for breath and reached my arms out trying to find the edge of the jacuzzi to hold onto. Only, I didn't find the side. I found Rob. When I opened my eyes, I realized my hands were on his chest and my body was only a few millimeters away from his.

There was an stillness between us and neither of us budged.

"Your hands are pruney," he laughed and I, embarrassed, instantly removed them from his skin. "Come on, let's get out before the rest of you shrivels up."

I followed him out of the spa, quickly realizing that we both forgot towels. The cold air was shock to my skin after being in the warm water for so long.

"Shit," Rob murmured when he became aware of the problem.

I stood in the darkness shivering until my entire body felt as though it was covered in goose bumps. So much for shaving.

"Come on, grab your stuff," Rob instructed and bolted off the steps of the deck towards his room. I sprinted in behind him, entering his room out of breath, my lungs burning in my chest from the cold air I breathed in.

Rob tossed me a towel and dried himself off with another.

I glanced around the room, noticing that everything seemed untouched. His suitcase was beside his bed strewn open with a few pieces of clothing hanging out. "It's already past 2 o'clock?" I gasped, observing the clock on the dresser.

"I guess that explains why you're so pruney," he laughed.

"Hey, I'm sure you're just as pruney as I am."

Rob checked his hands. "Nope, not at all."

"What? Let me see!" He held out his hands and I traced my fingers over his. "That's bizarre. Not fair."

"Hey," he said, diverting the conversation in another direction. "I rented a few movies. Care to watch one with me?"

I hesitated, thinking what I should do. "I probably should be getting home," I told him. "I get cranky when I don't get enough sleep."

"Good to know," he chuckled.

I eyed him, taken back.

"I took the liberty of buying two tickets to tour Charleston tomorrow. We'll meet here at 9:30am," he explained.

"Oh really? And what if I told you I already had plans tomorrow?"

"I'd tell you to cancel them," he said straightforwardly.

"Why would I cancel my very important plans?"

"First of all, I'm pretty sure you don't have any plans tomorrow. And secondly, I'm almost certain you like me," he took a step towards me and I felt my body cringe.

"What gives you that idea?" I stammered.

His hand traced the side of my face and my knees went weak. Rob smiled triumphantly and stepped back.

"Point taken," I surrendered, stuffing my feet into my Uggs and heading towards the door.

"I'll see you at 9:30 then! Don't be late," he called and I shut the door closed.

And that was just day one.


End file.
